As we are in a situation where we have more time on our hands than usual, we also have more time available to think. To allow our thoughts to roam free and wild. And OMW, that we do.
When you sit and watch TV, scroll through your social media, reading a book – how often are you there physically, but not emotionally and mentally. What is the emotional state you find yourself in while you are sitting there? Are you calm? Perhaps feeling love for the world? Mmm, not too sure that is currently your state of being.
What about the words you are using? Do you uplift and empower yourself? Do you give yourself encouraging words that you believe in yourself? Okay, pretty sure not likely.
What about the images that you play off in your head? You might be watching a movie, but there is a very different movie happening in your head.
And when you get up and the movie is finished, how do you feel? Stressed? Anxious? And now as you move through the day, or perhaps you are on your way to bed, how do you feel? What conversation is happening in your head?
Times certainly are tough, and we feel that we are tested. We feel all this is unfair and unreasonable. We feel frustrated and angry. And the longer we continue with that thought process, the less empowered we feel. The more we become a victim.
A victim is someone who is easily controlled and manipulated.
Interesting that you can bring yourself to the victim point through your thoughts alone.
René Descartes saying “Cogito, ergo sum” – I think, therefor I am – can really be interpreted in many ways. Considering that he lived in the early 1600’s and that he considered that the body and mind are two separate entities, and that the body is “not very important”, we have to consider that the use of this quote over millennia might have been misguided.
I think, therefor I am is much more a reflection on what you think, you become. Your inner talk, the language you use and the attached emotion around those thoughts, create the person you become.
When you are constantly critical of yourself and other around you, there is no possible way that you can find yourself in a positive state of being. You cannot feel love, peace and calm when you are agitated, negative and destructive. And the opposite is just as true. It is therefore very important to begin to understand that the body and the mind works as a unit.
Why is it so important to understand this?
Because through your thoughts and emotions you create not only who you are as to your personality and actions, but also you create your health.
When you find yourself in a situation where you constantly have to defend yourself, you constantly feel less than worthy, you use huge amounts of energy to “fight” this invisible danger. You withdraw all your energy for living and enjoying life, for being creative and loving to your extremities so you can fight the danger, or so you can run. When you find yourself constantly tired and you struggle to get up in the morning and you find very little in your life to give you joy, can you understand that you have very little “life giving” energy within you. You have very little immunity – not only against manipulation, but also on a health plane. We like to use the term “I feel run down”.
Yes, you are run down. You are run down by your thoughts, the language you use there, and by constantly being on high alert, through your emotions. You have been hit by an 18-Wheeler truck, and you go and stand in front of that truck every hour, hour after hour.
If you want to empower yourself, here is where you start:
1. Stop putting off for tomorrow. Do you say to yourself: When we are out of this, I am going to be more disciplined? I am going to enjoy life more. Why don’t you start doing that now? Start being more disciplined now. Get up at a certain time. Do some form of exercise. Gain some knowledge – real knowledge, not that fed to you by popular sites. Set yourself a programme for the day and start following that. Why wait to enjoy life. Do it now. Find things in your life now that you can enjoy. Joy is abundantly around us, but we have been conditioned to find joy in only that which we can pay for. The smile of a stranger on the street – I know you cannot see their mouth, but have you seen how eyes can smile? The song of a bird. The slow opening of a flower bud – some of them take days to open, no rush, only waiting for the perfect time.
2. What words do you use? I am tired. I am angry. I am fearful. You will become that what you speak. I know this is history but play along. Have you noticed, when you get up in the morning, the sun is shining, your favourite song is playing, you are on time and there is no rush, have you noticed how you say to yourself this is a good day? I feel good. And traffic is flowing smoothly, you are greeted as you walk to your desk, and you think to yourself, man, I am on top of the world today. Can you remember those days? If you stuck to that feeling or good state, your day would have been a good day, but you have become so accustomed to feeling angry, stressedand depressed, that you start searching for those emotions. And what is the quickest fix to finding these emotions – Man, this day is too good to be true. Something bad is going to happen any moment now. Sound familiar? Now if you continued with Man, I am feeling good and focused on that emotion and the thoughts around it, your day would have been a whole lot better.
3. Your plan of action. Are telling your self I am going to loose 10 kg? How about I am going to get that increase? How about I am going to restructure my business. What about the words I want to, and I am planning to? Do you realise that you are instructing your subconscious every second of every day how you want to live your life. It does not reason with you, it takes everything literally. With that in mind, you will want to, plan to and going to for the future. You will hardly ever reach the point of satisfaction you are searching for. Rather say to yourself: I see myself weighing (your ideal weight). I see myself restructuring my business. I see myself purchasing (whatever you like). You are not only using empowering words, you are also creating the picture, that helps with your emotional state.
4. 17 sec Rule. It takes training to get you and your mind, with your body in tow, to start focusing on the positive. Thumb suck rule – 17 seconds. Keep a positive thought for 17 seconds, then start another positive thought for 17 seconds. Keep going until you reach 1 minute 30 seconds and you have kicked into gear a train that will take you forwards along scenic routes painted by positive thoughts and creative thinking. So, every time you become aware that you have fallen off the train, stop, get back on and start thinking and feeling positive.
You are powerful. Grab that power and turn it onto yourself. Build yourself to the person you desire to be and watch how miracles start happening from your positive state of mind. And your power? In the words you use every day. Do it now.
You are welcome to post any questions below and let me know how you are doing with your “word training sessions”.
Sue Leppan
Transformation Life Coach
NLP Practitioner
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